10 Deserts Solo Cycle Epic

Details -
Distance: 475km
Conditions: combined soft sand and hard packed 4WD roads
Difficulty: 3/5
Est'd Time: 5 days

The Strzelecki track came to prominence following use by a cattle rustler. Back in 1870 Harry Redford discovered this pass and hearded some 1000 head of cattle down to the greener pastures in the south. He didn't lose a single beast. People were so impresses with this feat at the time, he was not convicted. This discovery was some 9 years after Burke & Wills ill-fated travels looking for an inland sea. I look forward to visiting the dig tree.

The Strzelecki track is largely a hard-packed dirt road for semi-trailers and 4WDs, but I'm also expecting lots of sand and corrugations.

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Details -
Distance: 350km
Conditions: combined soft sand, gibber plains, hard-pack 4WD roads
Difficulty: 3.5/5
Est'd Time: 4 days

Shortly after leaving Innamincka, I'm returning to the northern end of the Strzelecki desert. Walkers crossing is a very low lying and often flooded area where it crosses Cooper Creek. Eventually, the gibbers of the Sturt Stony desert become more prominent as I approach the Birdsville track. These gibbers are quite tortuous on 4WD tyres. They're normally quite rounded due to the local "sand-blasting" action, but sharp edges can easily be rotated upward due to fast-moving 4WD tyres. I hope they will be gentle on me. This leg potentially has no water en-route. I will need confirmation of local conditions closer to the time. I'll very much be looking forward to a beer at the renowned Birdsville pub following this leg